Palmyra

Palmyra was an ancient city in what is now Homs Governorate, Syria. Palmyra was founded circa 2500 BC, and it was once an Aramean city known for its wealth from trade caravans; it came to have a diverse population of Arameans, Amorites, and Arabs. Judaism believes that King Solomon of Israel fortified Palmyra during his reign in the early 10th century BC, and it was conquered by the Neo-Assyrian Empire in 732 BC. From 312 to 64 BC, it was a prosperous Seleucid city, and, in 64 BC, the Roman Republic conquered the Seleucids, and Palmyrene trade reached its zenith during the 2nd century AD, with trade routes expanding and the city urbanizing rapidly. It became a colony between 213 and 216 AD, but the rise of the Sassanid Empire threatened Palmyrene trade, as the Sassanids disbanded Palmyrene colonies in their lands. In 252, Odaenathus became lord of Palmyra, and he defeated a Persian invasion under Shapur I in 260 AD before proclaiming himself King. In 267, Odaenathus and his son were assassinated, so his son Vaballathus became the new king, with his mother Zenobia acting as regent. She conquered most of Rome's eastern provinces in 270 AD and proclaimed herself Empress of the Palmyrene Empire, but, in 272 AD, Roman emperor Aurelian advanced into Asia and defeated Zenobia at Immae and Emesa before forcing Zenobia to surrender in Palmyra. Aurelian spared the city, but, after another rebellion in 273 AD, Aurelian razed Palmyra to the ground, reducing it to a village. Palmyra became a Christian city over the next few decades, and it was rebuilt in 527 AD under Emperor Justinian. In 634 AD, Palmyra was conquered by the Rashidun Caliphate, and it prospered under the Umayyad Caliphate, with its population growing. In 1400, it was again destroyed by the Timurid Empire, and it was reduced to a small village. In 1932, the inhabitants were moved to the new village of Tadmur, and the ancient site was excavated. In 2015, during the Syrian Civil War, the Islamic State destroyed large parts of the ancient city, which was recaptured by the Syrian Arab Army on 2 March 2017.